BYU football: Riley Nelson's resolve might be what won him the starting job at QB
BYU quarterback Riley Nelson (13) was the starting QB for the Cougars for most of the 2011 season. He will be back for his senior year and is expected to lead the team like previous senior QBs have done in the past.
Ravell Call, Deseret News
Senior quarterback at BYU, Riley Nelson, tore his shoulder in the third game of the 2010 season, giving Freshman Jake Heaps the starting job, according to ESPN. But even with Heaps playing well for some time, Nelson is now back as the starter after leading the team to a 7-1 finish in 2011.
"I fully understand the business and the nature of college football," Nelson told ESPN. "It's cutthroat. It's competitive, and sometimes you're the guy that gets picked, and sometimes you're the guy that gets left out. There's nothing really that you can do about it."
But Nelson did do something about it. He got healthy and played on special teams to help him stay in shape, according to the article.
"I hadn't imagined Riley becoming our quarterback," Mendenhall told ESPN. "Until I watched him put on a scout jersey and run down our kickoff in practice, put on a scout jersey and cover a punt. I watched the team begin to be captivated by how he was handling this very unique situation [of] being the backup. Rather than just having a ball cap on and watching, he was anxiously engaged in doing anything he could to help our team."
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Riley's toughness and grit remind me of many of the BYU QB greats of the past - specifically McMahon, Young, Bosco, and Detmer.
Decent recap of a fabulous article. Riley is the irresistable force that will attack the immoveable object until it moves.
I think getting healthy and playing on special teams helped him get ready for BYU. His hard work and determination have paid off and I see a great future ahead for him.